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As our bodies age, we become more susceptible to chronic disease. There are certain diseases that elderly patients are particularly prone to because of their age. Knowing what these diseases are can help you manage your own health or keep an eye on an elderly loved one. 55+ senior living communities are great resources that give seniors a safe place to live where they can get the care they need. Here are some of the most common chronic diseases affecting the elderly and how you can spot them.

“All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once.” – Terry Pratchett

For hundreds of years, mushrooms have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for healing purposes. Used in tinctures, powders and teas made from dried fungi, medicinal mushrooms were believed to support the immune system, protect heart health and promote longevity.

It turns out that these traditional healers were onto something. Not only are mushrooms packed with vitamin B and minerals like copper, selenium and zinc, they’re also an excellent source of antioxidants – substances that protect against cell damage from free radicals. That makes mushrooms great for fighting inflammation in the body and boosting your immunity.

What’s more, studies have found that medicinal mushrooms indeed contain powerful compounds that enhance your health. Although more research is needed, each mushroom seems to have their own unique benefits:

Maitake contain beta-glucans, which stimulate the immune system. In animal studies, maitake have been shown to reduce tumor growth and increase the number of cells fighting tumors.

Of course the most pleasurable way to get the benefits from these medicinal mushrooms is to add them to your diet. Because of their meaty texture and earthy flavors, mushrooms lend themselves really well for vegetarian dishes.

If you do want to take supplements, powders or tinctures, please check with your doctor for the right dosage, unwanted side effects and possible drug interactions. It’s also best not to eat mushrooms raw – and don’t forage them in the wild without expertise.

Include some medicinal mushroom magic in your meals with these 11 fungi recipes.

Do you ever find yourself feeling impatient and irritated, snapping at people for no particular reason? You wake up tired most mornings, with a racing mind, tense shoulders and aching back. There’s no time to really pay attention to those feelings, because you have to juggle work, family, your health and other obligations.

Your body sends you messages about its internal conditions all the time. Sometimes it offers subtle clues about what it needs in the form of a yawn, food cravings or a gut feeling. Other times, your body signals distress through skin rash, chest pain or unintentional weight loss.

But in today’s fast-paced world, it’s much easier to tune out than it is to tune in. With the non-stop activity going on around us, we tend to focus outwardly and ignore what’s happening inside of us. But when you don’t listen to what your body’s whispering, the distress slowly builds, until your body start screaming for your attention.

When life’s challenging and you’re tired of struggling, these famous words from The Hunger Games trilogy might be just what you need to pull you through.

Because hope can be powerful. Hope helps you to keep going when you feel like giving up. It pushes you past the pain and obstacles on your way. Hope is a magical combination of optimism, faith and the somewhat stubborn belief that somehow things will work out.

Some people believe it’s better not to have hope, because it will only lead to disappointment. But the dictionary doesn’t just describe hope as an expectation or desire for the future, but also as “a feeling of trust, a belief that something good may happen.” And that’s a significant nuance.

Having a fixed idea in mind about how things should go can crush your spirit, because life rarely goes as planned. But when you think of hope as a dream destination while staying open-minded about the road that leads you there, hope can fuel your determination to get one step closer in the right direction. You still have to put one foot in front of the other, and the journey might be very different than you’d pictured. But with a little luck, a hopeful heart can lead you to some pretty amazing places.

Have a look at these 14 hope quotes to keep your spark alive in dark times.

You already know that seeing a dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings is important to prevent cavities and other problems inside the mouth. Going to the dentist can also be good for your overall health. Studies have shown the correlation between poor dental health and certain medical conditions, and going to the dentist regularly should be a priority if you care about your overall well-being.

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The Health Sessions

Your weekly dose of in-depth advice on a healthy lifestyle and coping with chronic illness.

About me

I’m a psychologist living with chronic illness. I want to help you feel as energetic, symptom-free and happy as possible, by showing you how to create lasting health habits and by giving you advice on how to cope with (chronic) health problems.